gw500 challenges
by aomurasakiai
Summary: (ongoing) The LJ community, gw500, gives weekly fic challenges and these are my responses. They don't follow each other plot-wise.
1. 01 cold, The Warmth of Friendship

[Note] Since I'll be going back to do some of the earlier challenges, I'll be moving the chapters around so the last chapter might not be the actual "update". Thanks for all of your encouragement.

----

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: The Warmth of Friendship  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo (if you want it to be)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Possible… Shounen Ai/OOC/Angst/WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #01 - "cold"  
Word Count: 700

"Jeez… it's freezing out here…" Duo could barely whisper as he fell further behind the Perfect Soldier. They had just finished their mission and safely hidden their Gundams on the mountainside, but that had forced them to walk through a hailstorm to the safehouse. He had his arms crossed over his chest, trying to protect them from being pelted with the pebbles of ice. At least only his arms were exposed; he wondered how Heero was taking it with just his tank top and spandex shorts. Looking up, he saw that the other pilot was still walking, as if their current situation wasn't affecting him at all. Truly was the Perfect Soldier.

His braid felt incredibly heavy on his back, most likely from accumulating all the falling ice and snow. Duo felt his eyes beginning to close as well and he barely felt anything in his chilled limbs when he fell to his knees.

'It's really cold…' he thought, wanting to just curl up and go to sleep…

"You baka!" Duo looked up to see the Japanese pilot marching up to him.

"Gomen, Heero-kun," he said quietly, forcing himself to stand. But that was taken out of his control when his left arm found itself around Heero's strong neck and one of Heero's arms was around his waist. The braided pilot was almost bodily lifted from the freezing ground and dragged onwards. Despite Heero's almost inhuman strength, Duo felt that he was also dragging him down with his weight, slowing them both down. And apparently, Heero realized it too.

"This is not going to work," he mumbled to himself. He dropped his hold on his partner and for a fleeting moment, Duo thought he was going to be left behind to die in the cold. However, Heero knelt in front of him and hoisted him up on his back. Eyes widening in shock, Duo was about to protest but it all died in his throat when he felt Heero's surprisingly warm hands under his knees, keeping him from falling off.

"We'll get to the safehouse faster this way," was the only explanation Heero gave. Duo didn't argue with that, being too tired to. His head rested on Heero's shoulder and despite his efforts, violet eyes closed.

"I see the safehouse," Heero told him. "We'll be there soon." Duo tightened his arms around the other pilot, intending to share his warmth, no matter how little it was.

"Ne, H-Heero-kun…" the braided pilot whispered, shakily.

"Don't talk so much, baka. We're almost there." Despite the harsh wording, Duo smiled.

"Heero-kun, I'm… really cold. But, your back is… warm. Very warm."

"Just a little farther." Heero's voice rumbled under Duo's ear.

"Aa…" They finally reached the safehouse and Heero had to shift the braided teen to one side so he could reach out and open the door. The hail and cold followed them inside and Heero struggled to shut the door with one of his feet.

"We're here," Heero told Duo with a hint of relief. But, his heart skipped a beat at the sudden silence from the other pilot. But his soldier mode kicked in before his worry could surface and he set the unconscious boy on the floor in front of the small fireplace. After tossing in the wood blocks, he struck a match and watched as the fire slowly ate the timber. He moved Duo as close to the heat as he could and waited.

----

_'Warm. Something is… very warm.'_

As Duo came out of unconsciousness, he heard the soft crackling of firewood… as well as something very out of place: a soft thumping sound. Once his vision became clear, he realized that he was looking at a bare shoulder. His face flared up when he recognized it to be Heero's and that he was pressed up against the other's naked chest, able to hear the steady heartbeat. Turning his head slightly, Duo saw their clothing drying in front of the fireplace. He smiled as he settled back on Heero's body, not wanting to move away just yet.

"Arigato, Heero-kun," he whispered. Arms tightening around him were the only response, along with a silent thought.

'Yokatta, ore no baka.'

Owari


	2. 02 turning of the year, Finding Myself

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing). Lyrics/translations of "UNDO" (sung by Cool Joke) are by Aoi-Anime.  
Title: Finding Myself  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Hint of past Heero/Duo… but they get back together again ;;  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Vagueness, OOC-ness, Slight Angst/Sap, Shounen Ai  
gw500 challenge: #02 - "turning of the year"  
Word Count: 756 (without lyrics)

_/douka douka jikan wo tomete  
kimi no omokage wo kono mune ni kizandekure_

_moshimo moshimo yurusarerunara  
subete wo gisei ni shitemo ii  
ano egao wo mou ichido/_

Changing out of her formal outfit into her nightwear, the young Vice Foreign Minister walked over to her window to stare out into the wintry city. It has been one year since the end of the Second Eve War and peace was slowly settling into the minds of the people. She touched the glass, feeling the cold on her palm but she smiled, knowing that there would no longer be any more battles or lives lost to war. Her heart went out to all the ex-soldiers who had survived… especially the ex-Gundam pilots and most of all to a certain Japanese teen down the hall.

About eight months prior, Heero had shown up at her door and asked to be her personal bodyguard. Shock and disbelief rose and she declined his offer, wanting him to find a better, happier life for himself. She already had enough guards by her side and there wasn't really the need for a personal one. But to see the once calm and collected teen look suddenly so lost, whispering that he couldn't adjust to the quiet lifestyle yet; she relented. In her limited way, she understood how hard the sudden changeover to peace might be for people who had spent their entire life preparing for war. Heero just couldn't revert back to the boy with kind eyes that Dr. J had once mentioned to her yet…

The door slowly opening made her turn away from the window and there stood Heero with his duffel bag in hand. She smiled and walked over to him.

"So, Heero. Are you leaving?"

"Aa…" Heero nodded, trying to gauge her reaction to his decision.

"Do come and visit me again," she said, smiling. "Won't you?"

"I will. But, you're sure…?"

"Yes, I am. You deserve support that I cannot give." She reached out to pat his arm, trying to comfort him, if only a little. "Don't worry about me, ne?" Heero just nodded, somewhat dejectedly.

"Do you think…"

"I know he will," she answered without hesitation.

With that, Heero gave her a small smile for the first time in a year.

----

Hearing the cheerful Christmas carols from within, Heero hesitated before pushing the button next to the large double doors. Inside, he heard the bell chiming and almost immediately the door opened.

"Master Heero, you made it," Rashid said with a hint of relief and quickly ushered the unruly-haired teen into the mansion and towards his young blond master. After taking the other's duffel bag, assuring that it would be placed in one of the guest rooms, the large Arab man left them alone.

"Heero!" Quatre stood up and embraced the teen warmly. "You made it! How have you been?"

"I apologize for my tardiness," Heero said, bowing slightly. He paused, thinking how he should answer the other's question. "I've been… doing a lot of thinking these past months."

"I see. Come, the others will want to see you." Quatre smiled and led Heero through the crowd of people. Trowa and Wufei stood in the corner, conversing quietly and stopped in surprise at seeing Heero walking towards them.

"Yuy, finally decided to show up?" Wufei asked with a smirk while Trowa just smiled. Heero nodded to both young men, feeling more at ease than he had been in a long time.

----

"Two more minutes until the New Year, everyone!" Quatre announced to his guests and the crowd murmured to each other in anticipation. Heero smiled softly; a year had passed since the last war and he had never thought that he would be here, alive, to celebrate it. It was more than he had expected… more than he had hoped for.

"Heero, so here's where you were hiding."

The young Japanese man turned around to meet the one person he hadn't seen all night.

"Been avoiding me?" His lips twitched up into a half-smile before falling again and violet eyes averted from cobalt blue, the owner not wanting the other to read his feelings so clearly reflected in them.

"60 seconds! 59…58…57…"

"Duo." The braided boy closed his eyes, unconsciously savoring his name being spoken with that voice. They were both silent, the countdown still being shouted around them, but even that couldn't break the tension between them.

"10… 9… 8…"

"Gomen nasai."

With those soft words, Duo let out a strangled sound and quickly closed the distance between him and the other, whose awaiting arms caught and held him tight as cheers erupted on the ground and fireworks exploded in the black sky.

_(Please… please, stop time.  
Please carve yourself into my heart._

_If it's not... If it's not allowed,  
I wouldn't mind sacrificing everything  
to see your smile once again.)_

Owari

Notes: What had happened between Heero and Duo can be open for interpretation.


	3. 03 photograph, Picture

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Picture  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: G  
Warnings: AU, Possible OOC  
gw500 challenge: #03 - "photograph"  
Word Count: 496

Receiving the change and the receipt from the cashier, I politely thank the young girl behind the counter before leaving the store, my new software program safely tucked under my arm. I usually don't go to the mall, especially not on a school day but I had finished my midterm project exactly one month, three days, eighteen hours, and twenty-six minutes early; so I think earned a little reward.

Making my way to the exit, I push up my hideously square glasses that had slipped down my nose. I hate them with a passion but my parents think that they make me look "mature" so I'm stuck with them. I desperately want to exchange them for the frameless, oval-shaped glasses I had seen in one of the display cases at the optometrist's office. Then maybe I won't be teased so much. Then… maybe I'll have enough confidence to talk to him.

There's a teen in the classroom next to mine with incredibly long hair that is always braided neatly and tied off with a short ribbon. Every day he walks by the open door of my classroom. Luckily, my desk happens to be right in the line of sight with it so I always see him pass by during break or lunch. He doesn't notice me… but then again, nobody else cares much about "the nerd" in the back row.

Sighing to myself, I make my way dejectedly towards the exit. But remembering my newly bought software, my mood picked up a little bit. It's still early in the year; I'll have time later on to find out his name… or at least catch more than three-second glimpses of him at--

Suddenly someone bumps into me, jarring me out of my thoughts.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry," apologizes a girl with short hair. She is wearing a rose-colored beret and when she kneels down, I realize that she had dropped all of her photos when she bumped into me. Setting my box down, I help her gather all the pictures and hand them to her.

"Thanks. I'm such a klutz," she says gratefully. She places them back into the small bag before walking away, disappearing into the crowd. I push up my glasses again and bend down to pick up my software; and find one of the photos under it… I must have placed my box on top of it by accident. Picking it up, I look around for the girl but she is long gone by now. I turn it over and I suck in my breath as a heart-shaped face grins at me, two violet eyes sparkling with laughter. It's him… with his long braid over his shoulder and one hand on his hip. The other is keeping his bangs from blowing into his face from, what I suspect is a strong wind. Staring at the picture, a smile forms on my lips.

I think I'll just hang onto this for a while.

Owari


	4. 04 digging, Memories

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).  
Title: Memories  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Post-EW, Shounen Ai, WAFF/Sap  
gw500 challenge: #04 - "digging"  
Word Count: 550

Twenty-five-year-old Heero Yuy returned home from work on a rainy Saturday night. He shook off his wet umbrella and placed it by the door to dry.

"Duo?" he called out, wondering what the braided man could be doing that was keeping him so quiet. He set off to search for his missing lover, heading towards their bedroom since it was the most likely place to start looking. His instincts were correct when he found the other rummaging around inside the closet.

"What are you up to?" Heero asked amusedly as he moved closer to the braided American.

"Looking for something," came the other's voice from deep inside the small storage space.

"Need any help?"

"No, I -- Yatta! Found it!" Duo emerged from the darkness, holding a wooden box. The unruly-haired ex-pilot gave him an odd look but all his lover did was motion him to the bed before following. Once they were comfortable, Duo lifted the lid and Heero saw that the box contained pictures within, dating back to the First Eve War.

"I was worried I'd lost these." The violet-eyed man smiled wistfully as he pulled each one out. Heero blinked, slightly surprised when he realized that the box's contents had nothing but pictures of him.

"They're all of me?" Duo smiled and nodded.

"All of these were before we got together." His expression turned serious as he reminisced. "I had wanted something to remember you by should we ever separate during the war. Or after… or if either of us…"

"You were attracted to me back then?" Heero asked, cutting the other off. He didn't want to think of what could have happened if either of them had died back then. The Japanese man knew that he would have never be able to learn what a wondrous thing love was. He wouldn't give it up for anything.

"Enough to risk my neck in taking all these pictures of you," Duo said, smiling again. Warmth filled and flowed through Heero, like it always did whenever he was with his braided lover. He smiled back before pulling the other man into his arms and giving him a soft kiss. It was a short but tender one and when they broke apart, Heero leaned back against the pillows with Duo settling down beside him.

"So, tell me how you went about taking all of these without me noticing," Heero said while picking each one up and glancing at his younger self.

"Well, this one was taken the day when you were so absorbed about fixing Wing."

"You mean the day before I took off with Deathscythe's parts?" the cobalt-eyed man said with a smirk.

"Shut up you. Remember who it was who hauled both of our Gundams from the ocean!" Duo retorted back, swatting the other's arm.

"All right, all right. You win," Heero replied, laughing. "You had a camera with you back then?"

"I had one of those spy cameras. It's concealed within a ballpoint pen and when you click the top down, it takes the picture. Nifty, ne?"

"So that's how…"

"And I am a master of stealth." Duo grinned cheekily. Heero picked up another picture, this time one of him sleeping.

"You definitely are," Heero agreed and they both continued to rediscover Heero's past through Duo's eyes.

Owari

Note: The spy camera idea I actually got from a Chinese drama series. It's a cool looking thing, despite it being a pen.


	5. 05 party, Playing the Game

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).   
Title: Playing the Game   
Author: aomurasakiai   
Pairing: Heero/Duo   
Rating: PG   
Warnings: AU, OOC?, Shounen Ai, bending how Decathlons really work   
gw500 challenge: #05 - "party"   
Word Count: 605   
Note: Inspired and loosely based on one scene in "The Day After Tomorrow".

"This most definitely exceeded my expectations," Wufei was saying as he took a sip of punch. He turned to his teammate but the Japanese teen was watching their third member, Duo, rather closely. All three of them were part of the same Decathlon team that was competing against the best high schools in Sanq, sponsored by one of the richest family, the Peacecrafts. Heero excelled in math while Wufei's strong point was in science and Duo's immense knowledge in history had ensured their win. After a long day of answering questions, the Peacecraft family had arranged a semiformal party at their mansion for the students to enjoy themselves. All except for one, that is.

"Heero," the Chinese teen said, almost exasperated. "Why don't you just tell him?" That served to snap Heero out of his thoughts and he turned to face his friend.

"Not a chance," he hissed back before Duo came over.

"Hey guys! Nice party, ne?" The braided boy grinned and Heero smiled back.

"Yeah." He glanced at Duo's outfit for the party. It was fairly simple: a red polo shirt tucked into black slacks and he was holding a jacket over his shoulder. Nevertheless, it made the other look even more alluring.

"You look great, Duo," Heero told him, amazed. The other smiled almost shyly.

"Thanks."

"Having fun gentlemen?" came a new voice and they all turned to see Peacecraft's only son.

"You're Milliardo," Duo said in awe.

"Yes, but do call me Zechs," he said, shaking the American's hand. "It was an honor competing with you, Duo Maxwell. Your intelligence in history certainly surpasses my own."

"No, you flatter me," the braided teen told the taller boy.

"I had already foreseen our defeat in the second round." Gesturing the general area behind him, Milliardo smiled. "Would you like a tour of the mansion?" Duo nodded and they both left, leaving Heero and Wufei behind.

"You have competition, Yuy," Wufei stated matter-of-factly. "Plus he's rich."

"Shut up, Chang."

"You should tell him now before you lose him to Prince Charming." Heero watched as Duo disappeared around the corner with Zechs.

_'How can I tell him, Wufei? How?'_

----

"I'm going to miss this place," Duo said as they were boarding the train to go back home.

"You've only been here for a day," Wufei told him.

"I know, it's just that I've never been in a place that big before. It must be nice being rich." That wistful tone in Duo's voice stabbed at Heero's heart. He wasn't rich by any means and it seemed like that was what Duo wished for in a companion. Heero sighed as he could almost feel his chances of being with Duo falling rapidly.

Heero and Duo found two seats together by the window while Wufei got a seat in the next aisle, preferring the distance between himself and the one whom he dubbed "the Chatterbox" so he could read. It wasn't until later that Heero realized his ulterior motive for choosing a seat away from them.

"I hope we come back to visit Sanq someday," Duo was saying before he yawned.

"You should try and rest," Heero told him. "It is going to be a couple of hours before we arrive home." The braided boy yawned again before settling back on his seat.

"Okay. Just be sure to wake me up when we get there." Heero watched as the other leaned his head back and fell asleep. The minutes passed by and he was about to doze off as well before he felt Duo slip sideways. His shoulder suddenly felt really warm and he smiled.

Owari


	6. 06 unfamiliar surroundings, Bus Stop

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).   
Title: Bus Stop   
Author: aomurasakiai   
Pairing: Heero/Duo   
Rating: PG   
Warnings: AU, Possible OOC/Shounen Ai, bad ending   
gw500 challenge: #06 - "unfamiliar surroundings"   
Word Count: 556   
Note: Not to be confused with Kiya-sama's "Bus Stop" from her fabulous arc "School Tales" (my writing is not up there yet).

Covering his yawn with one hand, Heero pushed up his glasses to rub his sleepy eyes. Although he'd lost some sleep the previous night, he was still glad that he had stayed up to study. He was confident he'd passed the final exam his chemistry teacher had given the class that day; it was worth 30 of their grade after all. Finally the bus arrived and Heero got on, thoughts of a nice long nap once he got home running through his mind.

----

The sudden jerk of the bus stopping shook Heero awake and he pushed up his slipping glasses, wondering if it was his stop already. Looking out the window he saw that he was in a different part of the city, where he'd never been before.

_'Impossible! I only shut my eyes for a second!'_ he thought to himself. He vaguely heard the bus driver say that it was the last stop and everyone needed to get off. Trying to calm himself down, Heero grabbed one of the bus booklets and stepped off. He still had some change on him… if he couldn't find a bus that went back to his stop then he would simply find a pay phone and call his parents. Of course, his overprotective parents would probably ban him from riding the bus ever again and insist that they drive him to and from school.

Heero shook his head; that was something he did not want to happen. He was already picked on at school for being a nerd and if his independence of riding the bus was also taken away, he'd never live it down. Calling his parents was definitely a last resort. He'd walk home if need be!

Finding the map in the middle of the booklet, he traced a route that ran from where he was back to his part of the city. He smiled to himself since he figured he had enough money to transfer buses twice. Quickly, he walked in the direction of the bus stop before the next bus got there. When he turned the corner, he ran into a braided teen.

"I'm sorry!" he quickly blurted, bowing before the other. "Please forgive me. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No harm done," the other chuckled. "In a hurry?"

"A…Aa. I need to catch the 146 bus," Heero said looking up into violet eyes.

"Ooh, you just missed it because I just got off that bus. It won't be around again for another half hour."

"K'so," the unruly-haired teen cursed under his breath. The other smiled at him.

"I'm Duo, by the way." The Japanese teen shook the offered hand.

"Heero."

"Are you busy, Heero?" Duo asked. "I'm going back the same way but I have to buy a present for my mother first. Instead of your waiting by yourself, you can accompany me if you like. We'll be back before it arrives." Heero found himself nodding and vaguely thinking about what his parents' reaction might be about him speaking to a stranger. But he was in high school so he could make his own judgments and decisions.

As Duo smiled again and headed towards the gift shop across the street, Heero followed him without hesitation. He wanted to find out more about the other teen and maybe become friends, if possible.

Owari (the worst ending ever…)


	7. 07 strawberry, A New Start

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).   
Title: A New Start   
Author: aomurasakiai   
Pairing: future Heero/Duo?   
Rating: PG   
Warnings: AU, possible OOC, slight Angst?   
gw500 challenge: #07 - "strawberry"   
Word Count: 584   
Note: Inspired by one of Terra's plot bunnies from a while back and slightly based on the fic I'm working on for her (though this is the opposite situation…).

Finally having finished unpacking another box of clothing, Heero carefully folded each article and placed them in his dresser. His family had just moved from Chicago to Los Angeles… they'd all had enough of blizzards and shoveling snow. Once their house had been sold, they had immediately packed everything up and left before winter set in. It was the Japanese teen's first move but he didn't know there would be so much work involved. He never realized he'd accumulated so much… stuff in his hometown.

Picking up another one of his shirts, a small box fell out of the breast pocket. Curious, Heero picked it up and looked inside to see a strawberry-shaped eraser. Dropping the shirt on the bed, he lifted the small eraser out of the box and smiled. Even after all these years…

xxFlashbackxx

"Heero, we're going to be friends forever, right?" The 5-year-old Japanese boy nodded and smiled at his violet-eyed playmate. The other boy hugged him tightly before stepping away and reaching into his pocket.

"Here, you can have this." Heero stared at the object in the other's hand in surprise.

"But, Duo, that's your favorite eraser," he told him. The braided American just smiled and took his hand, placing the strawberry-shaped eraser in his palm. He closed Heero's hand and held it with both of his.

"You're my best friend and I want you to have it." Not knowing what to say, Heero had simply smiled back and grabbed Duo's hand, leading him to the playground.

xxxx

"But… But Mom, I don't want to leave Heero." Eight year-old Duo clung onto his friend and Heero had his arms wrapped around the smaller boy.

"Duo, honey, we have to go now. The plane won't wait forever," his mother said, gently pulling him away.

"I don't want to go to Los Angeles! I want to stay in Chicago with Heero!" The braided boy's protests and resistance continued as his parents led him away.

"But Heero is going to be alone! Please, don't make me leave him! Heero!!"

The other boy couldn't say anything… didn't know what to say to stop his best friend from leaving. He stood unmoving until he heard the car starting. Running out into the street, he saw them driving away with Duo crying and pounding against the window. When they turned the corner, only then did Heero softly whisper one word.

"Goodbye…"

xxEnd Flashbackxx

Heero lay back on his bed, holding up the small eraser between two fingers as he finished reminiscing. How long had it been since he last saw Duo? Almost 10 years now. He briefly wondered if he would ever see his friend again and if he did, would they even recognize each other?

----

"Duo! Are you watching the oven?"

"Yes, I am! Don't worry, Mom! They're almost done!" The 18 year-old braided boy had on oven mitts as he stared at the timer, waiting for it to signal that the cookies were done. Duo had seen the moving truck earlier that day and being one to welcome the new neighbors, he decided to bake something for them as a present. Finally the timer 'dinged' and he opened the oven door, carefully pulling the tray out and placing it on the table. Inhaling the aroma for a second, he waited a while for the cookies to cool before putting them in a small paper bag.

"Hope they like them," Duo said, smiling before heading out the door towards his new neighbor's house.

Owari

Note: Before you kill me, remember that this IS (slightly) based on a fic I AM working on for Terra. Once I am done, you'll all get to read what happens to our favorite boys. So… don't kill me.


	8. 08 colony, Written in the Stars

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (probably a good thing).  
Title: Written in the Stars  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Hint of Heero/Duo  
Rating: G  
Warnings: Post EW, Possible OOC, Hint of Shounen Ai  
gw500 challenge: #08 - "colony"  
Word Count: 413

Lying on his back in the yard, Heero stared up at the night sky that was interspersed with thousands of tiny stars. In actuality they may have all looked like stars to the average human, who wouldn't give them a second thought, but to Heero… well, Heero knew better than that. On a clear night, he could pick out Venus or Mars, a drifting satellite or two, even the colonies. It was a whole new perspective and he hadn't really taken the time to indulge in "star gazing" even though it had been months since he moved to Earth after the Second Eve War.

"Heero?" The Japanese teen looked over to see Duo standing on the back porch. His eyes lingered a while on the other ex-pilot, acknowledging him without words before he turned back to the sky. After a moment of silence, the braided boy quietly walked towards him, his bare feet making soft noises on the semi-dry grass. He sat a short distance away, far enough to keep out of the other's personal space but close enough to be a comforting presence.

"You seem… quiet today," Duo said glancing at his the other teen. "More than usual, I mean. Thinking about something?"

"Aa," Heero replied. "You could say that. I just never thought I'd ever be able to do something like this," he murmured quietly.

"What? Stargazing?" Duo asked, laughing softly before looking up at the sky. "I used to do this all the time between missions or I would have gone stir-crazy while waiting for one to be assigned. But then again, I'd usually look for the moon."

"Why the moon?"

"I just wondered how it could look so different from here on Earth than from on L2," the braided teen replied, smiling sadly at the memory. "Did you ever look at the moon from L1?"

"I don't remember," Heero said in a rather dejected voice. "All I ever focused on was training." An uncomfortable silence fell upon the two ex-pilots as they became lost in their pasts.

"Well," Duo spoke up after a moment. "At least now you can stargaze as much as you want." A ghost of a smile appeared on Heero's lips.

"Aa." The Japanese teen hesitated…_ 'Should I?'_ he thought fleetingly before sitting up and glancing back at the braided teen.

"But now, it's different. Now I have someone to share this with… ne?" Surprise flitted across the other's face before he smiled.

"Of course, Heero."

Owari


	9. 22 phobia, Curing Duo

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Curing Duo  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo (friendship)  
Rating: G  
Warnings: Humor, Fluff, Duo POV  
gw500 challenge: #22 - "a phobia"  
Word Count: 506

Twirling the mechanical pencil around my finger, I stare at the stupid math problem on derivatives for the thousandth time, feeling vaguely sick.

"Heero," I call to my fellow roommate who is on the computer (like he ever gets off… I swear his behind is glued permanently onto the seat or something!). He looks over to me, but his fingers never stop typing whatever the hell he is typing.

"I think I may have 'math-phobia'," I tell him matter-of-factly. He raises one of his eyebrows slightly.

"'Math-phobia'? There is no such thing," he says, turning back to the monitor.

"Hey, you don't know that! I mean it could be that no one's discovered it yet. Someone might have it already!"

"Like you?" he asks, deadpan.

"Yup!" I grin. This is fun since it is rare that I get him to talk with me. Most of the time he mumbles the infamous "hn" remark, calls me "baka", or remains silent all together. Frustrating at times, but oh well.

"Help me, Heero!" I groan out, thumping my head on the math page filled with derivative word problems before shoving it aside. "I don't want to do this anymore!"

"Even if I did, you'd still copy my homework rather than doing it yourself," he tells me.

"True. You know me too well," I reply back with a wink.

"Baka."

"Just because I'm not the perfect student around here who could probably do these in his head." I smirk as he glances over at me again. His fingers still and all of a sudden, he scoots his chair over, grabs my math book, places it in front of the both of us, and crosses his arms across his chest.

"What are you having difficulty with?" I blink in surprise. He never offers to tutor me before, no matter how much I beg and plead. I always thought that he finds it faster to just let me copy. No time is wasted being away from his computer after all. Shrugging to myself, I file it away as a "Heero" thing that I may never understand.

"…ur notes?" I blink as I catch the end of his question.

"Huh?" He sighs, almost exasperatedly.

"Where are your notes?" he repeats. Heh, duh! I reach over to grab my notebook. Even though it's all there, that doesn't mean I get it. My hand seems to go into automatic "note-taking" mode when the teacher begins to talk. Now, the array of numbers and symbols make me want to throw up.

"Heero, I think it's getting worse," I mumble out, making a show of putting my hand over my mouth. He glances at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Look," he tells me, pointing to my notes and goes off explaining what is what. For once, I'm the one listening and he's doing all the talking. It's strange how he can become so engrossed in the topic. I smile to myself.

Apparently, he can cure me of "math-phobia" (if it ever exists, that is).

Owari


	10. 23 security, Koko ni Irukara

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Koko ni Irukara  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Duo/Heero, Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen Ai, Bit of Angst, Bit of WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #23 - "security"  
Word Count: 570

From a distance, I keep a close watch as Duo meanders through the vacant area where the Maxwell Church once stood years ago. It had taken that long to clean up all the debris due to the war, but I think he still remembers exactly where everything had been. Holding a single rose in his hand, he traces his memories, walking around as if the church is still standing. But, he has a more dejected stride, unlike his usual, confident step. And sometimes he pauses to stare at one spot with a small, albeit sad smile appearing across his lips.

I can do nothing more but stand here.

I wonder to myself why he invited me, of all people, to accompany him to L2 to visit the Maxwell Church. I am aware that I'm not the most sensitive person in the world; Quatre would have been a better choice. At least he knows what to say to comfort him, especially during a moment like this when he needs it the most.

After what seems like hours, he places the rose on the ground. He makes the cross over his body and finally turns to look at me with a small hint of sorrow in his eyes.

"Arigato [Thank you], Heero." My eyebrows draw together.

"Nande [Why]? I haven't done anything," I tell him. He smiles and gives me a small shrug as if he doesn't have an answer for me. But, when he turns to walk away, he whispers softly to me.

"Ne [Hey], Heero… Just you being here was enough." I blink in surprise.

'Duo?'

As we both wait for other people to board the shuttle heading back to Earth, I glance over at Duo. One hand is under his chin and he's leaning towards the window, watching L2 with half-lidded eyes.

"Arigato again, Heero."

"Aa [Okay]," I respond back before silence reigns over the both of us. The shuttle finally begins to move and soon we are in orbit, heading towards the planet. I keep a close watch on my companion, knowing that he's not exactly feeling like himself. At least I'm not that insensitive.

Hours later, I wonder if I should wake Duo for some food. Maybe it will do him some good. He is curled up uncomfortably on his side, facing away from me so I shake his shoulder.

"Duo, wake up," I lean over to whisper. When he opens his eyes, I recoil quickly in shock; both of them shine brightly with suppressed tears. He places a hand over his face.

"Gomen [I'm sorry]," he apologizes. Watching him, I think about what Quatre would do, what any other person would do. The very least I can do is try. Grabbing the hand he's using to hide his face, I pull him towards me. He lets out a surprised sound from his throat before I wrap my arms awkwardly around his shoulders. We both remain still, his head resting on my chest and his hand holding onto my shirt.

"Heero…" he barely whispers to me before closing his eyes against his tears. Staring down at him, I realize that I never knew he was trying his hardest to not cry. But I want to tell him it's okay.

"Daijoubu [It's alright]." I tighten my embrace. He nods against me and I close my eyes as well.

'Koko ni irukara [I will be here for you].'

Owari


	11. 24 magic, Sentiments

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Sentiments  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo (friendship but could be more)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Shounen Ai hints, AU, post-EW  
gw500 challenge: #24 - "magic"  
Word Count: 591

Heero crossed his arms over his Preventer uniform as he stood in the snow-covered clearing, waiting for the god-forsaken fireworks to begin so he could go home. Sometimes he wondered why, year after year, he always managed to get himself dragged into the New Year's celebration that the Preventers had held since the Second Eve Wars ended. Well, he knew the reason; he just had a hard time admitting it to himself…

"Hey, Heero." Duo came walking up to the unruly haired Japanese, also wearing his Preventer uniform. "Excited?" Heero shrugged in an uncaring way and Duo huffed at him.

"Honestly now, Heero. People will think you don't want to be here."

"I don't," Heero said tersely. Duo blinked at the other before chuckling and turning to look at the dark sky.

"Figured as much. You were never into sentimental things very much, ne?" Duo heard the soft grunt from his long time partner and smiled almost wistfully. Looking around, he saw almost everyone gathered around in anticipation of the fireworks show. He checked his watch under the limited lighting provided by the moon. Another 5 minutes or so to go.

The braided American jumped a bit when he heard a hissing sound but relaxed when Heero held up a box of sparklers for him, himself holding one that was already lit.

"They were passing them out," he said matter-of-factly, nodding his head toward some of the other Preventers carrying armfuls of boxes around to the rest. Duo took one and gave Heero a grin.

"Thanks." Heero held his up and Duo lightly touched his own sparkler to the burning tip and immediately it flared up. He moved it up and down, watching the smoky trails slowly fade away. He wrote his name in the air, and smiled as it too faded away. Duo turned to his Japanese friend, his smile turning into a frown when he saw that Heero was just staring at the sparks shooting from the end of his wand. But, as if the unruly haired ex-pilot could sense his gaze, cobalt blue eyes lifted to meet violet ones.

"You seem… quieter than usual, Heero," Duo said softly after a long moment. Well, the "Perfect Soldier" was always quiet, but the braided young man felt that it was somehow different this time.

"If you didn't want to be here, then why are you?" Duo voiced the question that he had been wondering earlier when he'd found Heero by himself. They both stared at each other silently for the longest time, their faces lit up by the flickering sparklers. Duo felt as though Heero's intense stare, combined with the reflections of the sparks off his eyes, was burning straight through him and he tried his hardest not to look away. Heero pointed his sparkler at Duo.

"Because you're here." Duo blinked, stunned.

"What?" The countdown was beginning and their sparklers were finally dimming, indicating they were coming to an end. Duo thought he saw Heero's expression softened before the sparklers went out completely.

"Because you're here," he repeated in the semi-darkness. "Then it… has a more sentimental value."

"Three… two… ONE!" And the fireworks began, but the two ex-Gundam pilots never took any notice. As the bursting fireworks lit up both of their faces in a spectrum of colors, Heero smiled and Duo saw that clearly.

"Happy New Year, Duo," he said before turning his attention skyward. Still stunned and trying to process what had just happened, the braided American just nodded rather numbly.

"Happy New Year, Heero."

Owari


	12. 25 accents, The New Boy

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: The New Boy  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU school-fic, Shounen Ai  
gw500 challenge: #25 - "accents"  
Word Count: 553  
Extra Notes: "[Japanese]"

Heero walked dejectedly into his English class, preparing to face yet another embarrassing day. He had moved to America from Japan, just in time for the start of the school year so his parents had transferred him in as a sophomore. The unruly haired teen was intelligent and could speak English quite fluently, but his strong Japanese accent caused many of his peers to tease him; and this class was the worst.

He quickly took his seat in the last row class near the door, lest the jeering started before the teacher arrived. His teacher had the habit of leaving her classroom open during nutrition break for students by stepping out to speak with the head of the English department next door. In a way that left Heero open to the taunts of some students and he sometimes wished that he could go to class as late as possible. But, it was better than facing everyone else on campus.

Placing his backpack on the floor, Heero took out his novel and began reading, trying his best to ignore all the random chattering as well as hushed whisperings around the room. A person walked through the doorway, but he paid no attention until a male voice called out to him.

"Excuse me?" Heero turned to see a young American boy with his backpack slung over one shoulder. Large violet eyes seemed to be grinning at him and the Japanese teen couldn't help but give a small smile in return.

"Is this Ms. Kay's room? I'm new here and I'm so not sure where I am," he said, holding up a map of the school. Heero nodded and answered the braided teen, albeit reluctantly.

"Yes, this is her room." Heero cringed slightly at how it sounded but was surprised when the other's face brightened.

"[Japanese? You can speak Japanese, right?]"

"[What? You mean…?]" Heero said half surprised, half shocked.

"[I went to Japan when I was young and picked up the language. Then I took some summer classes to actually learn it.]" Duo explained with a grin.

"[I see. That's great. My name is Heero.]" He bowed a little and held out his hand.

"[Duo. Pleased to meet you.]" Duo clasped the other's hand firmly and Heero felt the warm, soft skin of his… very attractive new friend. He tried not to blush.

"I'm happy to have made a friend already. I was worried I would have a tough first day," Duo told him, in English this time.

"I hope we have more classes together," Heero replied, forgetting about his heavy accent until Tom, the class bully, laughed loudly.

"You hear that? 'Hero' finally speaks." Everyone turned their heads and the said teen lowered his own, his cheeks flaming red. Duo glared at the tall boy.

"Hey! If you're going to taunt someone, at least say the name right. [I bet that Heero is smarter than you anyway, idiot.]" Heero covered his laugh with his hand and Duo smirked. Obviously being made fun of, Tom just "tch"-ed and turned away, angry that he couldn't come up with something against what he didn't understand. Heero smiled genuinely at the other teen.

"Thanks."

"Anytime!" Duo told him and took a seat next to Heero. Smiling still, the Japanese teen felt that his school year had become brighter.

Owari


	13. 26 identity, It's all in the Eyes

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: It's all in the Eyes  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo (friendship)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, some WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #26 - "identity"  
Word Count: 802

When the bright sunrays peeked through his window, Heero opened his cobalt blue eyes to a strange room. Confused, he looked around the small room containing several large, unopened boxes, before he remembered that his family had moved once again due to his father's job; this time to America. He buried his hands into his unruly, chocolate brown hair as he let out a quiet yawn. At least this time they'd moved during summer, when school was out so he didn't have to deal with any new people.

Going into the bathroom to wash up, he opened the cabinet under the sink and sure enough a small container with his contacts inside was there. In reality he didn't need them at all since he had perfect vision but his Japanese parents had never liked his eyes[1]. They were "abnormal" they had told him and people would think he was strange. The contacts he was holding were dark brown in color so when he put them on, his cobalt blue eyes were effectively hidden.

Finished washing up and changing, Heero went downstairs to prepare breakfast for himself in the large empty house. Both of his parents were most likely gone already, but he was used to that. Opening the refrigerator, the Japanese teen saw that they were low on groceries so he might as well do some shopping first since he wasn't that hungry. He went into his room to grab the house keys and money his parents had left for him on his dresser before heading out.

Heero looked around the busy city and realized that he had no idea where the closest grocery store was. He cursed silently before spotting a young teen with a long braid, whistling to the music emitting from his earphones and carrying several grocery bags. He was in luck.

"Excuse me!" he called out.

-----

"Thanks, Duo. Sorry for taking up so much of your time," Heero told his neighbor as they both neared his house. Duo lived just down the block from him and the braided teen had offered to accompany him to the store. During their time together, they'd immediately become friends, which surprised Heero since he didn't usually make friends so quickly.

"No problem at all!" the exuberant boy said, slapping the other's shoulder good-naturedly and causing the normally stoic teen to smile.

"Want to come in for a bit?"

"Sure. I'll help you with your groceries," Duo answered, grinning. The temporary brown-eyed teen led the other teen into the kitchen. As they slowly put away the foodstuffs, Heero couldn't help but wonder about Duo's eyes. They were a strong shade of violet, a shade that he had never seen before. It made him think about his own eye color. Duo didn't have to hide his rare, "abnormal" eyes but he had to hide his own. He couldn't understand why his parents hated them so much.

He turned around with a bag of carrots just as Duo was about to stand up with a bag of celery. They collided and Heero felt one of his contacts fall from his eyes.

"Sorry Heero! Are you okay?" Heero lifted his hand to cover his eyes from Duo's view.

"I lost one of my contacts," he told him.

"Crap! Don't move. I'll try and find it." Luckily, the pristine, white tiled floor gave a sharp contrast to the dark brown contact and Duo found it immediately, gingerly picking it up.

"Here it is," Duo said, showing it on the end of his finger.

"Arigato." But when Heero moved to take it, Duo let out a gasp and pointed to the eye that the contact had fallen from.

"Heero, your eye is blue!" The Japanese teen looked up at his friend, one cobalt blue eye and one brown eye locking with violet ones.

"Aa…" he admitted, taking the dark brown contact and intending to put it back on.

"Aw, Heero. Why pick that color for your contacts if they cover your blue eyes? You know how many people would kill to have that color?"

"Because… it's not my choice to," Heero explained vaguely and Duo frowned. He grabbed onto the unruly haired teen's wrists, stopping the other from putting in the contact.

"Take the other one out. Let me see." One wrist was released as Heero complied and he gazed into Duo's eyes, finding it hard to keep the rather intense eye contact. It seemed like forever before Duo grinned and released his hold on Heero's other wrist.

"They're beautiful. Ne, don't hide them anymore, okay?" Heero smiled and nodded.

-----

Ever since then, Heero continued to be a stoic, brown-eyed teen for his parents. But for Duo, he was a smiling, cobalt blue eyed boy and for the first time, he felt content with his life.

Owari

[1] Does anyone know why? I only heard of/read about it a few times but I'm not sure of the entire reason.


	14. 27 disappointment, Second Chance

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Second Chance  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Angst (ya.. can't avoid it with a challenge like that)  
gw500 challenge: #27 - "disappointment"  
Word Count: 769

Silently, a figure crept through an open window into one of the dark hospital rooms where another was laying, unconscious on the white bed. A fond smile appeared on the heart-shaped face as he saw that the other was recovering.

"Yokatta, Heero. You almost gave me a heart attack back there," Duo whispered. Hearing approaching footsteps from down the hall, the braided teen quickly turned and disappeared from the room.

A few nights later, Heero Yuy finally regained consciousness. Blinking up at the white ceiling, he immediately knew he was on the third floor, Room 384 at St. Mary's Hospital. As memories of the last battle entered his mind, bringing him up to date, he heard a soft noise by the window. Cobalt blue eyes closed as the owner tried to assess the entering person, trying to determine between friend or foe.

As usual, Duo snuck into Heero's room with no trouble. He was glad for his gift of stealth. Walking up to stand by the bed where his still unconscious comrade was lying, the same smile crossed his lips like it had done on the previous nights when he watched over the Japanese teen. Staring at the relaxed face for a moment longer, Duo turned to go.

"Where are you going, Duo?" The said braided teen froze at the clear, monotonous voice of Heero Yuy.

K'so! He didn't want to face Wing Gundam's ex-pilot now! However, feeling the other's stare burning a hole in the back of his head, he slowly turned around with his mask firmly on.

"Yo, Heero. Glad to see you're alive and kickin'! Well maybe not the kicking part but you know what I…"

"Duo." Heero's voice cut through his rambling, as always. Duo swallowed the rest of his words and grew quiet.

"Come here," the Japanese teen ordered. With a slight flinch, the other walked closer to the bed but still managed to keep his distance before Heero grabbed onto his wrist and yanked him until his knees hit the soft mattress.

"You were planning to leave," Heero stated. Staring into half guilty violet eyes, he knew that Duo picked up on exactly who he had meant. The braided teen lowered his eyes. It was true that he'd planned to leave once Heero had stabilized; maybe wait until he woke up, but the braided teen knew he couldn't stay any longer than that. He wanted the other teen to find his own happiness. Perhaps someone else could give the cobalt blue eyed teen a chance at a normal life, rather than himself who would most likely continue reminding him of the war.

Suddenly the grip on his wrist disappeared completely and he looked up to see Heero look away.

"Seems I was too hopeful," he said softly. Duo closed his eyes in regret. The room became silent as neither of them moved, both in pain given that their potential relationship was never going to happen. Duo heard the approaching footsteps of the nurse like he had every night and glanced up at the other boy.

"Gomen… Sayonara, Heero," and he made his escape out the window, tears escaping his eyes as he lost sight of the person on the bed when he made his descent. Turning away from the window, Heero also silently shed tears, letting them trail down to dampen the white pillow.

With his arms crossed over his chest, Heero listened to Relena make her speech from the gallery, partially hidden by the forest green curtain. In truth, another person preoccupied his mind… but he forced himself to focus since it was a final promise to the young woman. But, he couldn't understand why she made him promise to listen to it at least halfway. He turned his attention towards Relena, who was addressing the future.

"In this era of peace, we can only hope that humankind will not repeat the same mistakes of the past. May we all continue to live life without any regrets and pursue the dreams and people who will make us happy. Especially our soldiers who fought in either war or both because they deserve peace and happiness the most."

Heero lifted his head slightly in realization. Regret… peace… happiness… Duo. Why had he let Duo go that time? He wished to be with him and he had hoped for that when the war was over. Did Relena unintentionally imply that he should go find the braided ex-pilot? Somehow he felt it was deliberate. He had another chance.

With a small smile of thanks, he left the gallery, causing the curtain to flutter slightly.

Owari


	15. 28 timing, Names

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Names  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, OOC, WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #28 - "timing"  
Word Count: 506  
Extra Notes: [thoughts]

Carefully pouring the strawberry syrup into the container, Heero quickly glanced up at the clock.

5:36

Capping the big bottle and putting it back on the bottom shelf, a faint smile crossed the unruly haired boy's lips as he reached for one of the large plastic cups that had the shop's logo on them. He opened the icebox and scooped out a large amount, enough to fill the cup to the top.

[He should be done with basketball practice and changing by now,] Heero thought to himself as he went over to where the shakers were. Pouring some honey in one of the large ones and adding some dairy powder, he stirred the contents together with hot water while thinking about the braided boy. The said teen had become a regular customer at the place where Heero worked, having started to come in a few weeks ago. He came almost every day around 5:45, after basketball practice, and he would order the same thing each time. It made it easier for Heero; he could make it before the violet-eyed teen arrived.

The Japanese teen added half a cup of ice and some tea, closed the shaker, and shook it vigorously for a few seconds to make sure the contents were well mixed. Uncapping the shaker, he poured the drink into the plastic cup and sealed the top with the machine nearby. After rinsing out the shaker, he took out the cup from the sealing machine and wiped it off with a towel. Once again, cobalt blue eyes glanced up at the clock.

5:41

[Should be here soon.] Heero set the cup on the counter and waited patiently for the braided teen to arrive. So far, he hadn't had the nerve to ask for the other's name and he hadn't told him his either. He really wanted to know but the violet-eyed boy always seemed to be in a hurry. He would greet him, hand over the exact amount to pay for the drink, and leave.

The bell on the door rang, indicating an incoming customer. Sure enough, it was him. Heero could barely contain the smile that was threatening to break through his usual stoic expression.

"Hey there!" A grin accompanied the greeting and the braided teen reached into his pocket for money.

"Hi… Here you go." Heero pushed the large cup towards him.

"You always seem to know when I'm coming!" the other laughed and placed three dollars on the counter. "Keep the change, okay? And…" He slipped another dollar bill into the tips jar. "For you." He smiled and grabbed a straw, turning to leave with his drink. Heero watched him go, the braid swinging tantalizingly behind. It was now or never.

"A-Anou! What's your name?" The other turned around and smiled at him again.

"Duo Maxwell!"

"I'm Heero. Pleased to meet you, Duo."

"Ditto! I'll see you tomorrow, Heero!" With one last wave, the braided teen - Duo - left. Heero finally let the smile cross his lips.

[Finally… I know his name.]

Owari


	16. 29 the morning after, Cruise Control

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Cruise Control  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo (if you want)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, POV, fluff, seasickness  
gw500 challenge: #29 - "the morning after"  
Word Count: 526  
Note: Slightly inspired by kiyasama's fic "Bus Stop" and "Kyou Kara Maou" episode 5.

Slowly, my eyes opened to an unfamiliar room. I sat up on the soft bed carefully, due to my being prone to seasickness. I will never listen to a certain blonde, rich boy ever again. Damn that Quatre. His offer for me to accompany him on this passenger ship wasn't at all appealing in the first place; but even I cannot say no to that… kicked puppy look. It should be outlawed.

Rubbing my tired eyes, I suppose I couldn't blame him. I never did tell him I got seasick, no matter how calm the water or how steady the ship ride was. And I did buy those patches that were suppose to help with my nauseous feelings. Apparently they didn't. I wonder if I can get my money back…

Suddenly, I felt bile pushing up against my throat and looking around frantically, I spotted a bathroom just 10 feet away. I bolted and made it to the porcelain bowl just in time. In the midst of my… retching… I felt a hand gently rubbing my back. That eased my dry heaving immensely. Maybe I should rethink about my maiming Quatre.

He held up a glass of water as well as a napkin for me and I rinsed out my mouth, removing the horrible taste. Okay, I'll forget about maiming him. He helped me stand on my slightly shaky legs as I wiped my mouth and when I turned to thank him, I met not with aquamarine colored eyes but violet ones.

"You feeling okay?" the strange braided man asked me. Still surprised, I managed a nod.

"Arigato…" I mentally slapped myself at my tendency to revert back to my native tongue when surprised or nervous. Quatre mentioned it was one of my weird quirks.

"Douitashimashite." I blinked, surprised yet again.

"Ore wa Duo Maxwell," he told me, smiling pleasantly. I shook his offered hand.

"Heero Yuy desu." When our hands were released, I looked around the room, assuming it was his and wondering how I got there in the first place.

"This is my room," the man - Duo - confirmed. "I saw you throwing up on the deck last night so I helped you here." He turned to me with that… that smile again. Very enigmatic, something young girls should be suspicious of, yet draws them to the said person.

"Hope you don't mind." I shook my head and gave him a polite bow in thanks.

"It's almost time for breakfast," he said, checking his watch. "Want to join me?" I almost agreed but then I remembered Quatre. He tended to panic and worry over the smallest things and with my 'disappearance' last night, I bet he was ready to send the Marines and the Navy looking for me.

"I should go and search for my friend first. He'll be worried about me." Duo nodded in understanding and headed towards the door.

"Then hopefully we'll meet again, Heero." I bid him goodbye, hoping the same thing as well. Just as the door closed, I could feel my seasickness return, and in seconds, I found myself vomiting in the bathroom.

I'll look for Quatre later…

Owari


	17. 30 laundry, Lost and Found

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Lost and Found  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Duo/Heero (if you want)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, OOC-ness, WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #30 - "laundry"  
Word Count: 750

Duo paused at the water fountain to take a drink like he always did during his morning jog. It felt invigorating running in the cool morning air, both for his lungs and his body. Stretching his arms above his head, he decided that since it was such a good day he would take the longer way home, going through the park.

'Yoshi… Just a few more blocks to go,' the braided teen thought to himself as he set off.

-----

Duo was about halfway into the park when he ran past a group of laughing teens. They looked older than he did, perhaps in college. But, Duo paid them no attention as he continued to run. A little farther down the path, he spotted something on the floor. It looked like… a jacket? Slowing down to take a look, he grimaced at all the dirt on the blue denim jacket. The braided teen picked it up, surprised at how heavy it was. Hearing a soft rattling in the pockets, Duo turned it upside down, emptying them out of the rocks that were stuffed inside. An ID card fell out with them and he bent down to pick it up.

"Heero… Yuy?" Duo read out the name on the card softly. He looked at the picture of an older Japanese boy with unruly brown hair and cobalt blue eyes behind a pair of oval glasses. And across the top read: Todai University.

'Todai? So this belongs to one of those smart people,' Duo thought. He dusted the jacket off as best as he could before running out of the park towards the dry cleaning laundry service near his house. Checking the pockets again to make sure he hadn't overlooked any other personal items, he dropped the jacket off to be cleaned.

-----

"Arigato!" Duo said as he picked up the now clean jacket, all wrapped up in plastic like a present. Checking his watch, he realized that he could still make it to Todai before the classes were out. Clutching the package close, he quickly ran towards the large school. When the braided teen reached the University, he was almost out of breath, but he managed to find the front office and asked for Heero's classroom.

"Let's see…" the woman behind the desk said while typing into the computer. "Oh, Yuy-san doesn't have any classes in the afternoon. He must have gone home already."

"Then, can you tell me his address? I need to return these back to him." Duo lifted both the jacket and the ID card to show her.

"Gomen, but I can't do that," she apologized.

"You're looking for Yuy?" Duo turned to see a pony tailed Asian walking towards him. He didn't look Japanese… Chinese maybe? The braided teen nodded and explained what had happened.

"He'll be pleased," the black haired student said. "That's his favorite jacket." He took a pencil from his backpack and scribbled down Heero's address. "Here. I would give it to him myself but I have kendo practice." Duo bowed slightly before rushing out of the school and towards the address.

"Let's see… this should be the place." The braided teen gathered his courage and rang the doorbell. Soon the door opened to reveal a rather intimidating Japanese man. Duo swallowed.

"Yes?"

"Uh… excuse me but, is Heero Yuy home?" Narrow eyes held his violet ones before the older man turned away, yelling for Heero to stop studying and come down. Soon, the Japanese college student emerged while the man disappeared down the hall.

"Who are you?" he asked, taking off his glasses smoothly. Duo's breath caught in his throat and he held out the wrapped up jacket with the ID sitting on top like an offering.

"I… I found this at the park. It was dirty but I had it cleaned for you. I saw your ID in one of the pockets so I went to the school to find you. But they wouldn't give me your address so your friend gave it to me and…" His rambling stopped when the jacket was taken from him. Duo lowered his hands and lifted his head to see Heero giving him a small smile.

"Arigato for the trouble. I appreciate it." Heero paused before adding, "If you stop by tomorrow, I'll treat you to something to compensate for this." Duo nodded numbly.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." With one last small smile, Heero closed the door, leaving Duo standing on the porch rather dazed.

Owari


	18. 31 challenge, Simple Rewards

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Simple Rewards  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, bit of sap/WAFF  
gw500 challenge: #31 - "challenge"  
Word Count: 665

"And it's the final lap!"

Duo was ready to collapse, feeling the strain on his legs as he rounded the track. He really wanted to beat Heero Yuy, champion of last year's school marathon, this year. Glancing up, he saw that the unruly haired teen was still ahead, though not by much. He pushed his exhausted body forward, catching up inch-by-inch.

Heero was well aware of the effort that the braided boy was putting into the race. He smiled to himself as his mind wandered back to last year when they first met. It had been extremely close but in the end, he had crossed the finish line first. He had been catching his breath when Duo had come up to shake hands with him. That was the day he found out how captivating the other's violet eyes were. But after that, they had remained as total strangers.

"It's going to be close! Who will win?!"

Heero saw out of the corner of his eye that Duo was pushing himself beyond the limit. Glancing ahead, he saw that they were quickly approaching the finish line. After a split second decision, he slowed almost minutely and Duo unknowingly gained the advantage, crossing the finish line first.

Cheers erupted from students and teachers alike while Duo leapt up and gave a shout of victory. In no time at all his friends and many girls surrounded him. Heero seemed to be forgotten as he looked at the crowd all over the braided teen. He started to turn away when he too was enveloped with people congratulating him. The Japanese teen could only nod politely at the overexcited spectators.

"AHH!" Quickly turning around at the shout, Heero saw the braided boy feeling around his neck and then frantically searching the ground.

"My cross! It fell off! I had it when the race began. I know I did!" Duo knelt down and brushed away the dirt on the racetrack, trying to find his lost necklace. Heero watched silently as distress and desperation marred the heart-shaped face. Everyone else spread out to help search; only Heero didn't move.

-----

"Duo, it's getting dark. We can come back tomorrow." Duo didn't even acknowledge what his friend, Quatre, was saying. He had continued to search around the track for his missing necklace long after everyone else had left. Only his closest friends stayed behind.

"He's right. You need to eat and rejuvenate your energy," Wufei said.

"We'll be able to search better in the morning," added Trowa. Looking up with tired eyes, Duo nodded wearily and allowed his friends to lead him home. Minutes later, a certain Japanese boy armed with nothing but a flashlight, walked out onto the track just as night fell over the city.

-----

Duo slowly opened his eyes against the sun streaming through his window. Remembering what had happened the day before, he bolted upright in his bed.

'I need to go find it,' the braided teen thought before quickly changing and heading downstairs. The cross was from his mother, one of the few keepsakes he had after she had passed away. He must find it. Opening his front door, he nearly ran into Heero who had his hand poised over the doorbell.

"Heero? What are you doing here?" Duo asked, surprised. The Japanese boy said nothing and held up his hand. Duo recognized his cross but instead of a silver chain, it was a gold one.

"The chain was broken so… I switched it. Gomen." Eyes wide with shock, the violet-eyed boy carefully took the necklace from Heero.

"You found it…" he whispered. Then he realized that he'd never seen the other when he had been looking for it. So it meant that…

"You searched all night?" Heero nodded, almost embarrassed.

"WAI!" Before the unruly haired boy could react, he found himself embraced by the other. "Arigato, Heero! I don't know how to repay you!" Heero blinked once before smiling to himself.

'This is more than enough…'

Owari


	19. 32 contract, Dotted Line

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Dotted Line  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: 12 (small hint)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: Possible Shounen Ai, Possible OOC, Clichés  
gw500 challenge: #32 - "contract"  
Word Count: 524

In yet another safehouse during one of their many missions, Heero sat at his desk, typing away at his laptop as usual. The unruly haired pilot was updating his mission report to Dr. J, which he would send once he'd finished like he always did. But, a certain braided pilot was also in the same room and unlike his normal, noisier behavior, he was lying on his bed and quietly sketching. True, he was sketching the back of Heero's head but still… he was keeping himself occupied at least.

Heero purged out all the minute details that he remembered during the second phase of their mission into his report. It was perhaps a bit monotonous, but it was more than satisfactory so he couldn't care less. Seeing his roommate in the reflection of his monitor, he was a bit surprised that Duo was still in the room. He couldn't believe that the other pilot was able to hold up to their deal…

---FLASHBACK---

"Heero, are you done yet?"

"No."

(An hour later…)

"How about now?"

"No."

(Another hour…)

"Now?"

"Duo, the quieter you are, the faster I'll finish."

"But it's been almost 3 hours! What the hell are you writing anyway?"

"Mission report."

"For 3 hours…"

"Because you wouldn't be quiet."

"Fine, I'll be quiet until you finish."

"Do I have your word?"

"I don't lie remember?"

"Here."

"What's this?"

"Sign it so I have your word that you will keep yourself occupied whenever I do mission reports."

(Passing silence…)

"You had this planned?!"

---END FLASHBACK---

Finally sending the updated mission report, Heero closed the laptop and turned around to face the other teen. Still lying on the bed, Duo was finishing up his own work, listlessly shading in the shadows on his sketch with lidded eyes. He looked ready to fall asleep and the Wing pilot had to fight the small smile that was threatening to surface at the sight. Silently he walked up to the other teen.

"You've upheld your end of our contract," Heero said matter-of-factly. "Now… what do you want to do?" Duo glanced up through his chestnut bangs before tossing his sketchpad to the side and stretching his stiff muscles. A yawn escaped as he sat up to face the other pilot.

"You know," he said, rubbing his eyes before plopping back down onto the pillow. "I think I'll take a nap first. I'm so damn tired and it was so damn boring listening to you type for an hour." With that, Duo turned to his side, mumbling a "for god's sake" before promptly dozing off. Heero watched his sleeping roommate as he recalled the conditions of the contact Duo had signed the day before.

_[I, Duo Maxwell, will be silent during the time one, Heero Yuy, is working on any mission reports in exchange for an activity both parties will participate in together afterwards.]_

'Napping is considered an activity,' Heero thought to himself. Lying down on his own bed, the Japanese teen turned to his side and watched the relaxed face of the self-proclaimed Shinigami across the short distance between them before he too drifted off.

Owari


	20. 33 distraction, Daydreams

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Daydreams  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Duo/Heero, Heero/Duo (if you want it to be)  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, Possible Shounen Ai  
gw500 challenge: #33 - "distraction"  
Word Count: 546

Sitting at his desk and working on his math homework, Duo yawned as he neared the end of his assignment. Just a few more problems to go and he would be finished for the day. And another week to go before winter break started. He could definitely use the chance to relax and not have to worry about schoolwork. The braided teen set his pencil down and leaned back on his chair, stretching his arms over his head. His aching muscles protested, but it still felt good to take the small break from writing and being bent over a piece of paper.

Duo turned his head slightly towards the window and smiled at the colors the setting sun was sending out. It had snowed the previous night and billions upon billions of white snowflakes covered the ground. The sun seemed to paint the usually pure white snow with warm colors; for a moment it felt like summer. Looking around, he saw that some of his neighbors had shoveled their front lawns, but the front of his own house was untouched. He had promised his father he would shovel once he'd finished with his homework. He was about to turn back to his work, intending to finish it, when he saw that a door had opened in the house across the street.

A young teen, much like himself, stepped out with a shovel in his hand. He had unruly, dark brown hair and looked to be of Asian descent. Duo blinked in surprise at the clothing the other boy was wearing: a pair of jeans, a green top and a denim jacket. Damn, wasn't he cold?! He had never seen the boy before but he did vaguely remember the "SOLD" sign in front of the house a few weeks before. He must have missed them moving in due to his studying for finals week.

The braided boy watched the Japanese teen shovel the sidewalk, piling up the snow in front of the house. He seemed to be doing it effortlessly, as if the snow weighed nothing to him. Duo knew how hard it was from experience; his own arms would be sore for hours afterwards. Propping his arm up on his desk and resting his chin on his hand, Duo watched as the unruly haired boy continued to work. He didn't even notice how a smile slowly formed on his lips.

"Duo!" The American teen jerked out of his small daydream at the sound of his father's voice. Looking up, he saw that the Japanese boy was no longer there and that the sidewalk across the street was completely cleared. Had his mind drifted that much?

'Crap! I need to go shovel our side before it gets too dark!' Quickly, he closed up his math book, intending to come back and finish it after he was done. Rummaging inside his closet, he found his coat and gloves and put them on before going downstairs where a shovel was propped up next to the door. Silently thanking his father, he set out into the rapidly darkening evening. As Duo started to shovel the snow, he was unaware of how a certain teen across the road paused in his studies to glance out the window and watch him work.

Owari


	21. 34 flattery, Fact or Fiction?

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Fact or Fiction?  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, Possible OOC, Shounen Ai  
gw500 challenge: #34 - "flattery"  
Word Count: 986

[Oh my god! I've been waiting for a new part from you! That cliffhanger last time was pure EVIL. You certainly enjoy torturing your readers, ne? But still, I'm a big fan! From the looks of things now, this is almost at an end… clings to ficcie Nooo!! (Hate it when your fics end. You write SO well.) Hoping for more from you soon!

Shin

PS. How are things with "the boy next door"? Made a move yet? wink wink nudge nudge At least find out his name! Good luck! hugs]

A small smile appeared on the usually stoic face of Heero Yuy as he finished reading the short email from one of his most dedicated readers, who had also become his most trusted friend on the net. A silent teen by nature, Heero was surprised at how easy going he could be online. Perhaps it wasn't because of his social skills but because of the stern expression he always wore, albeit unconsciously. People are quick to judge based on looks first and foremost. After all, would one approach the smiling man or the scowling one?

However, over the net and without looks to judge by, Heero could allow himself be the person he never thought he could be. All the expressions he couldn't show were easily done with a few keystrokes and with them he had gained quite a few friends, Shin in particular. Clicking the "Reply" button, he quickly composed a response back.

[Shin, thank you once again for your feedback. My ego always grows after reading your emails and I think it's what keeps me writing most of the time. G Yes, sadly my fic is going to end soon. Thanks for sticking with it until the very end! I'll be starting another one soon so look forward to that.

Tsubasa

PS. No, I haven't found out his name yet. And it's highly unlikely I'll make a move! But then again, what about you? Have YOU made a move with "the boy in the library" yet? Exactly my thought. =P]

Clicking "Send", the Japanese teen leaned back in satisfaction and glanced out the window. From his room, Heero could see straight into his neighbor's yard, despite the tall wooden fence that ran between the two houses. He could see the small brown puppy taking a nap in the soft grass but it suddenly jerked awake and ran towards the front door.

'There he is,' the unruly haired teen thought as he spotted the "boy next door". He had a long chestnut braid, hanging down his back and that was probably what caught Heero's eye in the beginning. And as he continued to admire the other from afar, he began to grow… attracted to the other boy. No one else knew except for Shin and Heero decided to keep it that way for now.

----

Duo Maxwell checked his watch yet again while he waited for the bus.

'It's late again! I want to go home early for once,' he thought to himself. There were a lot of students waiting for the 486 Bus and he knew that it was going to be packed because others were waiting further up the street at the stop before this one. He grumbled silently as he willed the bus to come.

----

Heero stared up the street to see if he could spot the godforsaken bus. This was the reason why he rode on the 2:30 bus, but this day he'd had to stay behind in class due to a group project. He swore that they were all… less-than-intelligent human beings. How they ever made it as far as high school was beyond him. Finally, the bus came roaring to a halt and Heero glanced up at the bright "486 - White Ave" before climbing on.

----

Duo quickly counted to correct amount for the bus fare and carefully jostled his way through to find an empty seat. There weren't many but he didn't fancy himself standing on a moving vehicle, especially one that bounced as much as the 486. When the final passenger got on, the bus jerked forward and Duo managed to grab a hold of the metal pole on the side. However, as the bus halted at a red light, he was pitched forward again and fell half on a seat and half on… someone else. He quickly sat up.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…" The words stopped in his throat as he stared into the cobalt blue eyes of him, the Japanese teen that went to the same school as he did but spent most of his time holed up in the library. Duo remembered wandering into the book-filled haven many times just to catch a glimpse of the other. And now…

"Are you alright?"

"I'm okay, thanks," Duo replied quickly and hauled his backpack onto his lap, holding it to his chest. He glanced down at the floor of the middle aisle but he could still feel the presence of the other teen beside him. Suddenly, he felt a bit… warm. Maybe it was all of the moving bodies? Duo hoped so.

Nearing his street, Duo was about to reach up and pull on the rope to request a stop when he saw that the Japanese boy beside him reach up as well.

"Thanks," he said. The other nodded to him. When the bus stopped, Duo got up and was surprised that the other followed. The two got off the bus.

----

"I didn't know you lived around here."

"Aa…" Heero replied, not wanting to give away exactly where he lived. He could always act surprised when the time came.

"I'm Duo, by the way."

"Heero. Pleased to meet you." And he shook the other's hand, his lips quirking up into a smile.

_'Duo, ne? I have much to tell Shin today.'_

_'Wait until Tsubasa hears about this!'_

Owari


	22. 37 my turn, Dedication

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing belongs to them, not to me (which is probably a good thing).  
Title: Dedication  
Author: aomurasakiai  
Pairing: Heero/Duo  
Rating: PG  
Warnings: AU, OOC, Shounen Ai, Fluff  
gw500 challenge: #37 - "my turn"  
Word Count: 643  
Note: Based on Duo Radon's pic commissioned by Sharon (Moments of Rapture). She mentioned she wanted to see Heero as the messier-gift-unwrapper.

"These are from Trowa and me," Quatre said, holding out two flat boxes wrapped in colorful paper, a red ribbon, and with two bows taped on top of each one. Both Heero and Duo took their respective gifts.

"We hope you like them," Trowa added.

"Wow, thanks you two. Wonder what it is?" Duo said whilst looking at his gift from different angles.

"We won't know until we open them, baka," Heero told him with a slight roll of his cobalt blue eyes. But his voice held a touch of affection that Duo picked up and the braided young man smiled.

"Me first." Duo started on one end of the box and carefully tore the small piece of tape from the wrapping paper. It was tough since his recently cut fingernails were short and part of the wrapping almost came off with the tape. But, he managed to tear it off without ripping the covering and it was carefully folded over the edge of the paper so it wouldn't stick to anything as Duo continued his unwrapping. Off came the two bows, Duo being cautious about the adhesive underneath them. Off came the red ribbon and wrapped around his arm so it wouldn't get tangled or lost. Finally, the braided American got the yellow paper off the box, but only to see more wrapping paper.

"Here, Heero. Save this for me?" Duo handed him the neatly, folded-up yellow paper and the two bows. Heero took it almost stiffly and placed them all beside him. Duo must be testing his patience by slowly unwrapping each layer. A few Christmases before he had asked why, and was told that it could be reused. Heero did think it was wise, not to mention economical, rather than buying a roll of wrapping to be used only once a year; but that didn't mean he had enough patience to unwrap gifts like Duo. Plus, Duo liked the shiny paper, so either way they were saving it.

The braided man just smiled and shrugged, already working on the light green wrapping paper. It came off quicker than the first, but again he came upon another layer, this time cerulean blue colored. Heero's patience pulled just a little tighter. That also came off with deliberate care, but only to encounter a dark blue colored one. When that finally came off and the box itself was visible, Heero noted that it had taken over 15 minutes to unwrap the 4 layers of wrapping paper. He was so going to murder a-certain-blonde-man-who's-trying-to-hide-his-snickering-not-five-feet-away. Seeing that Duo had placed the box on his crossed legs and was waiting for him to unwrap his present so they could open them together, Heero mentally smirked.

"My turn."

And he tore through the package like a tornado through a city. Colored wrapping paper flew in all directions: coral pink, mahogany, violet, and silver all fluttered around the room. Most landed near Duo and strangely enough, the two bows that had adorned the box got stuck on Duo's hair. In less than 10 seconds, Heero held his own unwrapped box in his lap.

"Saving time is more important than saving paper," Heero said, breaking the sudden silence.

"Heero." Duo shook his head. "You've changed so much and yet… you haven't."

"Open them!" Quatre piped up. Simultaneously, Heero and Duo both lifted the lids of the boxes and moved the tissue paper away to reveal gray T-shirts with the words 'Property of' written in black. Taking them out of the boxes, Duo smiled widely at what they said.

"Cool! Thanks Quatre!" On his T-shirt said the words 'Property of Heero Yuy' while Heero's had 'Property of Duo Maxwell'.

"Aren't these great, Heero?" Duo asked, still grinning. Heero just looked highly… not amused. And neither of them noticed the flash of light from Trowa's camera until it was too late.

Owari

Note: The commissioned pic is at Moments of Rapture (and apparently doesn't allow websites to be posted). Just Google it and it should be the first site. Enter to the mainpage and under "Art Galleries Menu", click "Commissioned". Go to page 7 and it's the last pic.


End file.
